1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cartons for diagonally cut sandwiches or like foodstuff.
2. Background Prior Art
Our European Patent Publication No. 532531 discloses a container for foodstuff formed from a blank card and having triangular end walls connected rectangular side walls to form a triangular prism-shaped container. One side wall of the container is hinged to another wall of the container to provide an opening for insertion/removal of foodstuff and to form a lid for closing the opening. The edges of the lid and the edges of the container extending from the hinge have integral tabs with a fold line at the hinge whereby the tabs fold inwardly beneath the lid as it is closed over the opening to assist in retaining foodstuff in the container.
Where the carton is used for perishable foodstuffs such as sandwiches, the shelf life of the carton is restricted to 2–3 hours to ensure that the sandwiches purchased by the consumer are acceptably fresh.
Where the sandwiches or other food item are perishable and it is required to have a longer shelf life, it is necessary to provide a hermetically sealed package for the foodstuff which is usually flushed with an inert gas such as nitrogen. Hermetically sealed packaging for such food items is usually formed from plastics materials and food products contained in such packaging can have a shelf life of 2–3 days or even several weeks. Plastics packaging is commonly formed from PVC which is not biodegradable and many retailers are reluctant to use such materials because of their long term environmental problems and consequently the poor image of the product which results.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pack for a sandwich or other food item which is as easy and convenient to use as the sandwich pack disclosed in our European Patent Publication No. 1032531, which can be hermetically sealed to minimize deterioration of the food product contained in the package over an extended shelf life period and which is formed from wholly biodegradable material.